Patrick ByrneA concerned citizen who has been hunting the oligarchy and Deep State since 2004. My actions forced me to abandon recently my 2,000 colleagues at Overstock.com. Help them out by going to Overstock.com and making a purchase.

Our Corrupt Federal Regulator the SEC

Dear Reader,Two years ago I became convinced we were standing at the edge of an economic crisis perhaps comparable to the 1929 market collapse, due primarily to the SEC having become a “captured regulator” which turned a blind eye to the fraud it was created to suppress. The proximate cause of systemic failure, I argued, was that our financial system was building up latent derivative risk (in the form of unsettled trades in our settlement system) among a vast network of hedge funds and their prime brokers. But the conditions for collapse were created, I argued, by an indolent SEC.In an attempt to force action before there was a systemic crisis, I tried to open the eyes of the financial media to these conditions, and drew nothing but vilification that was, in the words of one professional media observer, “like nothing we’ve seen in America since the 19th century.” They uniformly refused to report on the substance of my claims, instead stretching (often quite ridiculously) to portray it all as just a CEO ticked about his own stock price. I organized a fairly extensive effort to bring relevant information to those senators who provide political oversight to the SEC, but was stymied in these efforts by Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, a politician known in DC for his penchant for milking maximal dollars from all sides of every issue, then voting for whatever serves the interests of Wall Street (even at the obvious and profound expense of the citizenry). In a somewhat desperate measure, I encouraged legislation at the state level: reformist legislation passed the Utah legislature almost unanimously, but was then blocked by Wall Street through a series of threats, legal action, and (I am informed) cash dispensed to some state legislators who obediently flip-flopped.Through these efforts the SEC was not only 0 help, they actually aided those whom I was hoping to expose before a systemic meltdown became inevitable. SEC Commission Annette Nazareth, who has a vested interest (through marriage) in continuing the cover-up, was quoted as being dismissive of my claims (though they were already supported by hard, uncontestable data, much of it in published economic research). SEC Commission Campos also personally opposed me, telling an associate of mine in a public forum, “Imperfect regulation does not justify vigilantism by Patrick Byrne or Overstock.com” (actually it does, when the stakes are as high as they are proving to be, the form of the “imperfection” is corruption, and the “vigilantism” is simply exposure). I pushed hard on the SEC, even writing and narrating a presentation that explains the situation in fair detail, and which has been downloaded 500,000 times, but drew no response from the SEC beyond becoming the target of their federal investigation.One man came forward to support my claims: former SEC investigator Gary Aguirre. Recognizing that the Senate’s oversight of the SEC was fundamentally broken, he went to the Senate Judiciary Committee, sending letters that supported my view of rampant fraud within Wall Street protected by a co-opted regulator (and, it turns out, delivering boxes of evidence in support of these contentions). Naturally, the same journalists who had obediently clogged, cluttered, distorted and dismissed my claims, also went to work on Aguirre. Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal published articles and editorials so derogatory, inaccurate, and insulting about Mr. Aguirre, that when the smoke clears they will stand for ages as examples of yellow journalism at its worst, and the costs it can impose on our society. However, in the Senate Judiciary Committee the irresistible forces of fraud and money met the immovable objects of Senators Grassley and Specter. They held hearings and dug into Aguirre’s claims. In an unbelievable display of hubris, the SEC had the gall to subpoena the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, which told them to get stuffed: Senator Grassley’s twoletters (since made public) lecturing the SEC on the meaning of “congressional oversight” within the framework of the US Constitution are remarkable both in content and in the simple fact of their necessity. Senators Grassley (from Iowa) and Specter (a former prosecutor) refused to be bullied, and instigated an investigation by the Government Accounting Office.

Seven months ago the wig began to slip. The GAO issued a preliminary report that confirmed “the whiff of a cover-up,” as Senator Specter summarized it in January. Last Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee and General Accounting Office released their final report thoroughly vindicating Gary Aguirre (and in the process, my own long-standing criticisms of the SEC). It makes it clear that those on Wall Street with “juice” (as one higher-up called it while killing an investigtion) are considered untouchable by our regulators, who turn out to be negotiating for $1 million jobs with the same firms for whom they are derailing investigations. The report excoriates the SEC’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in particular as having taken part in the corruption and cover-up.

This week, SEC Inspector General Walter Stachnik (who has held that position since the SEC OIG was created in 1989), announced his retirement. Commissioner Roel Campos followed suit and, according to today’s newspapers, Commission Annette Nazareth is leaving soon as well.

When a corrupt Sheriff turns a blind eye to thuggery from his patrons, self-defense is justified but not obligatory. However, when that sheriff’s indolence leaves not just oneself but also innocent strangers to be mugged by the bullies, a civilized person takes it as his duty to get up in their grills. The corrupt sheriff will naturally denounce as “vigilantism” this decision by another to do that job for which he, the sheriff, is paid, but at which he is so abjectly failing.

When the Securities and Exchange Commission was created in 1934, it was given the daunting mandate of restoring investor confidence in what was left of America’s battered capital markets. In recent years they and the New York financial media have degenerated into cronies of Wall Street. As a result, our global financial system is now teetering on precisely the kind of systemic event of which I have been warning, brought about by precisely the kind of deep, latent derivative risk we were told could not exist, but which came to exist under the noses of the See-No-Evil Twins of the SEC and the New York Financial Media. Sadly, I predict that in the weeks and months to come we’ll learn that Aguirre was just the footnote to what has been covered up. And, regrettably, our nation will suffer deeply for it.

Most respectfully,

Patrick M. Byrne

PS Regarding the federal investigation: I have no beef with it, actually. Everything I have done has always been legal and ethical, but I do recognize that my actions have been somewhat irregular and, coloring outside the lines as far as I have, I do not begrudge the attention I have received from the Federals. In addition, I have no desire to express disrespect for, nor hurt the feelings of, those hundreds of honest, hard-working government employees who come to work each day wanting to do a good job regulating the capital markets. I simply think that a fair share of their bosses, the brass at the SEC, have been corrupted in one way or another. The departure of the OIG, and especially Annette Nazareth, is a first step in fixing this most vital of regulatory bodies.

PPS In all fairness I should exclude a small number of the Wall Street financial media from the charge of being hand-puppets for financial elites. Barron’s is nothing but marketing literature for about 8 hedge funds, the Wall Street Journal is to Wall Street as Sports Illustrated is to sports, Fortune is People Magazine for capitalists, and The New York Post is for folks who move their lips when they read People Magazine. But the same New York Times which employs Establishment-defending hacks like Floyd Norris and Joe Nocera also employs Gretchen Morgenson, who has integrity. Forbes reporters doing highly-credible jobs on these and related issues include Liz Moyer and Nathan Vardi, while Bloomberg has explored it through the superb investigative stories of Bob Drummond, and broadcast a shocking 25 minute Bloomberg Special Report by Gary Matsumoto. In addition, PBS gave fair treatment to Aguirre. In the same vein, I believe there are honest SEC Commissions (e.g., Cox and Atkins), and that the rank-and-file of the SEC are straight-shooters as well: it is the upper echelons that have lost track of for whom they work. In short, these systems are not monolithic.

PPPS TO GET YOUR COUPON please click here. It will take you to Overstock. When you checkout you will find the coupon deducted from your order. The coupon expires on Monday, August 13, 2007. It will take 10% off (not applicable to Entertainment products, and limited to $250 of benefit, so do not buy more than $2,500 with it!) If you have more than one coupon in your account, our checkout process will apply the one that gives you the biggest discount on the order.Last edited by patrickbyrne on Tue Sep 18, 2007 11:14 am; edited 33 times in total

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

patrick, didja really write this letter ripping the SEC & then give em an overstock coupon? ROFL! i gotta admire yer gumption!
wonder if any of em used it?
btw, the SEC couldn’t deserve it more. (the ripping, not the coupon.)

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:52 pm Post subject:

Yes, ’twas I.

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:19 am Post subject:

Hello Patrick,I admire your persistence in the fight against this corruption. I think I have an idea what this is costing you, and the dangers you are facing. Wickedness in high places….I have a question for you:Have you considered hiring a weekend auction employee to man a fraud hot line? I usually don’t go looking for it but report it when I happen to see it.I spent a few minutes this morning and found 2 persons that keep coming back here with new user names. One of them has used the same name over and over and just adds a couple of numbers to the end of the name to change it. Another usually “sells” computers and in his listing he asks people to email him for off-site transactions. Yesterday I saw about 30 counterfeit handbags by a new user that have been listed for over 3 days already.I think the Content Review team does a wonderful job. I can only imagine how busy they must be.Thanks for your time,

Silvia

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:11 pm Post subject:

I’m so impressed! The counterfeit handbag auctions are still up but the other 2 have been disabled.Way to go, Content Review team! 8)

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Yesterday I saw about 30 counterfeit handbags by a new user that have been listed for over 3 days already.

Quote:

I’m so impressed! The counterfeit handbag auctions are still up but the other 2 have been disabled.

Yes they are and I am fairly certain that they will run till the end of their auction time. What a shame!!

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:46 am Post subject:

Great article – I’ve thought something was fishy for some time now – thanks for expressing it so well!

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:17 am Post subject:

Nandupuy,Thanks for reading it.Best,Patrick

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:39 am Post subject: Thanks!!

First time reader –
So glad the opportunity to read this was posted on my e-mail “flyer”. Otherwise I’d have never gotten this article and opportunity to learn the details of this. Have sent it to about everyone I know who is actively watching/working investments . . . thanks for educating an amateur!

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

I want to thank you for a eye opening, thought provoking article! I am going to forward this to everyone I know. Wish it could be on the home page of every internet provider for more people to read!!

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject: THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Patrick. You’re a very intelligent man. I’m glad somebody is keeping an eye on those thugs and thieves.

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: Wow

Thank you for this information. I got a finance degree back in 1988 but went straight on to law school and never used it… now I wish I had kept up with the markets over the years so I would know more of the background information. I am shocked and appalled by all of this. The corruption is real, isn’t it?? How long until our culture falls into abject decay?

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject:

Valerie,I am afraid we may be reaching that point already.Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this.Patrick

Patrick Byrne FollowA concerned citizen who has been hunting the oligarchy and Deep State since 2004. My actions forced me to abandon recently my 2,000 colleagues at Overstock.com. Help them out by going to Overstock.com and making a purchase.

3 Replies to “Our Corrupt Federal Regulator the SEC”

CRITICAL FOR PATRICK- LOVE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT SEC.I WILL GIVE YOU 10 YEARS OF ABSOLUTELY NO GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PROTECT SEC CORRUPTION.YOU AND EVERYBODY WHO COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SEC DONT SAY THAT WITH 4000 PEOPLE THE SEC HAS NEVER CAUGHT ANY BIG MONEY CRIMINAL.I WILL TRY AND CALL YOU OR WRITE YOUR EMAIL TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING INFO.I USED YOUR 2007 LETTER PREDICTING 1929 DISASTER BECAUSE OF SEC TO SEN GRASSLEY AND SPECTER. From: slimfisherman@hotmail.com
To: slimfisherman@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: critical help
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:05:24 +0000

DEAR SENATOR GRASSLEY, I DIDNT GO OUT.I WROTE AND CALLED SENATOR SPECTER BECAUSE BYRNE LIKES YOU TWO. AS YOU SEE BELOW MR. PATRICK BYRNE WROTE THE TITLE SEC OUR CORRUPT FEDERAL REDULATOR HE LIKE I AND THE REST OF THIS COUNTRY KNOW THE SEC IS CORRUPT. I HAVE A VERY LONG STORY WHICH YOU MIGHT READ,BUT I AM GOING TO MAKE IT VERY EASY FOR YOU. I WILL SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT THE SEC,DOJ,AND TREASURY,THE OIG OF THESE THREE GROUPS,AND THE FOIA OF THESE GROUPS HAVE NOT RESPONDED IN 10 YEARS TO PROOF OF SEC CORRUPTION.ALSO THE GAO AND OGE HAVE NOT RESPONDED.TREASURY TOOK OVER 3200 DOLLARS FROM ME AND I TOLD THEM WHY THEY SHOULDNT HAVE TAKEN MONEY AND THEY HAVENT RESPONDED TO ME IN 15 MONTHS. THIS IS TO PUNISH ME FOR HAVING SEC CORRUPTION. I ALSO SAID DO NOT CLOSE TAXPAYER ADVOCATE CASE UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHY TREAS. OIG HAS ILLEGALLY FAILED TO RESPOND TO PROOF OF SEC CORRUPTION.I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE PAY TAXES AND SEC FEES TO A GROUP OF 4000 PEOPLE WHOM HAVE NEVER CAUGHT ANYBODY EXCEPT MARTHA STEWART.ALSO AN ARBITRATION CASE 99-02005, WITH 8 FRONTRUNNING CASES PROVED THAT INVESTORS WERE BEING ROBBED ON A DAILY BASIS SO THE OFFICIAL ARBITRATION CASE TAPES DISAPPEARED AND AS THE NYSE HAS CONFIRMED THE FRONTRUNNING WENT ON FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS.THE ONLY CHANCE FOR JUSTICE AND THE TAPES DISAPPEAR.THERE WAS MUCH MORE PAIN SUCH AS I HAD TO TRAVEL 5000 MILES AND HAD 8000 DOLLARS IN BILLS WITHOUT A LAWYER. BESIDES THE SEC CATCHING NOBODY,COX SET UP THE 40 DOLLARS BORROWED FOR EVERY DOLLAR OWNED.HE DID THIS WHEN ANY STATS WOULD SHOULD YOU THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY WAS IN TROUBLE.STATS ARE IN THE 10 YEAR STORY BELOW.HE ALSO SET UP THE SHORT RULE WHICH ALLOWED BIG MONEY INVESTORS TO MAKE FORTUNES,WHILE INVESTORS WERE GOING BROKE. THE SEC HAS NEVER CAUGHT ANYBODY AND THEY SET UP THE TWO RULES WHICH WIPED OUT INVESTORS.WHILE I AM DOING ALL THIS READING,I NOTICED THAT THE SEC OIG WHOM WAS CAUGHT FOR CORRUPTION IN THE GARY AGUIRE CASE RETIRED ALONG WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE SEC.I SAID RETIRED NOT RESIGNED OR IN JAIL FOR CORRUPTION.HE WAS IN THE OIG WHEN EVERYONE WAS BEING ROBBED AND NOBODY WAS BEING CAUGHT.HE WAS THERE WHEN I SAW FRONTRUNNING ON A DAILY BASIS FROM 1998-2003. SO TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS ROBBED,NOBODY CAUGHT,AND NOBODY LOOKS AT THE EMAIL OF THE SEC OIG,,ESPECIALLY SINCE HE WAS CAUGHT BEING CORRUPT AND RETIRED.YOU CAN SEE IN BLACK AND WHITE THE EMAIL I SENT HIM WHERE SEC OIG SAID THEY DIDNT HAVE TO TELL ME ANYTHING.I TOLD THEM THIS WAS A LIE AND I NEVER GOT RESPONSE,NOR DID HE ADDRESS THE PROOF THAT STEVE CUTLER,FORMER HEAD OF SEC ENFORCEMENT KNEW WE WERE BEING ROBBED AND DID NOTHING.THIS IS PROOF WHY THE SEC CATCHES NOBODY.BY THE WAY STEVE CUTLER HAS BEEN REWARDED FOR HIS CORRUPTION,BECAUSE HE IS NOW HEAD LAWYER OF JP MORGAN WHO GOT BEAR STEARNS AND WAMU FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR.WHEN I SAW NEW OIG CATCHING SEC CORRUPTION WITH BEAR STEARNS,WHICH HELPED IN THE FINANCIAL CRISIS WE ARE IN,I GOT EXCITED AND SAID GOOD GUYS ARE HERE. AFTER I SENT PROOF,I REALIZED THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY BAD GUYS STILL THERE AND I AM SCARED,BUT I LEARNED A LOT MORE READING. ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE IS HIT THE SECOIG,DOJ OIG,AND TREASURY OIG,PUT THEM UNDER OATH AND TELL THEM YOU ARE CHECKING EMAILS AND WANT TO KNOW IF THEY OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE,BY NOT ACTING ON PROOF OF SEC CORRUPTION. IT IS A SERIOUS CRIME FOR THEM NOT TO RESPOND TO ME,BUT I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE COMPLAINED TO OIG AND THEY CRIMINALLY DID NOTHING.FULL DETAILS IN 10 YEAR STORY. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO.AM I GOING TO GET PROTECTION AND PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO GO TO GET CARRY PISTOL PERMIT.CNBC SAID IF THEY ACTUALLY CAUGHT THE CRIMINALS AND AMERICA WAS ASSURED THERE WAS NO MORE CORRUPTION THE MARKET WOULD GO UP. HOPE YOU WILL GET MARKET UP.I AND MOST OF AMERICA BETWEEN REAL ESTATE AND STOCKS HAVE SEEN 50 PERCENT OF THEIR LIFE SAVINGS DISAPPEAR.AMERICA NEEDS YOU AND SEN SPECTER TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION. THANK YOU PS I WILL SEND ABOVE TO SEN SPECTER. I STILL CANT BELIEVE NOBODY IN YOUR TWO OFFICES HAVE LOOKED AT EMAIL OR LISTENED TO VOICE MAIL.

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